Palmyrah Palm, a local Taal; Useful palm but least bothered.

           How many of you know Palmyra palm the locally known Taal? Of course, all have seen and have real experience on Palmyra palm in Tripura. This is quite common in rural Tripura.

     Again, how many of you know the usages or utility of Palmyra palm? Many would come forward and answer that they know the use of Palmyra palm.
    But the answer will be the “Taaler Payesh” prepared by using mesocarp of ripened fruit of Palmyra palm.
   In fact this is the common dessert prepared using ripened Palmyra fruit. Another is Taaler bora prepared using the same material but the making is different and they are quite popular too specially during the month of August & September.

   Now, if you ask anything additional, no fruitful answer would be heard as saying.

    That’s all we know, this is our knowledge level about Palmyra palm. This useful and gigantic palm stands upright in the rural Tripura but hardly any one remember until the fruit ripening season during the month of August and September when you get ripened fruit of Palmyra palm.

  Their utility is strictly limited with these few items as mentioned above. And. Of course, Taaler Mishri a popular sugar candy prepared out of the juice extracted from the Palmyrah palm which is available in the market. This is our bad luck that we did not realize the vastly useful palm.

    In India, it is in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, the maximum Palmyra palms are available and it is in those states that Palmyra palm are used most effectively and efficiently  by the local people.

  Palmyra palm has the utility in multi various purpose starting from:

1. Sweet Toddy
2. Palmyra arrack
3. Sweet candy
4. Palmyra coir
5. Palmyra tender fruit
6. Palmyra fruit
7. Palmyra craft item etc.
8. Palmyra pole for construction work

      But, this Palmyra palm in Tripura is really in pathetic condition and nobody bothers Palmyra. In Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh, you would find nicely cleaned Palmyra palm.

       But, in Tripura no one knows, they may even get surprised when they come to know about tapping of Palmyra like Date palm.

            Know your Palmyrah and utilize how it fits best.

        Agritangkol dated 10.07.2012